In current Test Program Language parsers, the vocabulary and syntax of the source and destination Test Program Languages are either hard coded directly into the parser or passed to the parser through the use of external configuration files. For example, the Abbreviated Test Language for All Systems (ATLAS) program language has a very specific lexical and syntactical content and is designed to be extensible. New features (i.e., nouns, modifiers) are added for each version of the ATLAS Language. Creating comprehensive parsers for a specific version of the ATLAS Language is both time intensive and cumbersome.
Modifications of the current Test Language parsers are not end user graphically extensible. They require a user to either create new configuration files or to modify the source code of the test program language parser to account for deviations in a source or destination test program languages due to extensibility of those test program languages. This also applies if the end user desires to translate a different source or destination test program language.
The problem with prior test program parser implementations is their fundamental inability to deal with new or extensible test program languages that were not part of the original design and scope of the parser program. In addition, any modifications required alteration of the original parser software code and are not end user graphically extensible
In short, there exists a need in the art for a parser program that can be graphically extensible.